How Generation Z Will Impact the 2020 Presidential Election
Generation Z, the youngest group of people who are eligible to vote in the upcoming election, has been changing the course of history since 2016, both politically and socially.
In the past few years, our generation has been making a lot of noise, trying to catch the attention of adults around us to take action and make changes in the world. Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani woman, has been fighting for women’s education and women’s rights her entire life. Emma Gonzalez, one of the survivors of the tragic Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018, has been fighting for gun control and started the March For Our Lives movement and co-founded the Never Again MSD organization to raise efforts.
Greta Thunberg, a 17-year-old Swedish environmental activist, has started an entire grassroots movement that is currently fighting to combat climate change. Teens on TikTok caused Donald Trump to have thousands of empty seats at his campaign rallies after buying tickets and not showing up.
Racial Justice Voters: The protests that followed George Floyd’s killing by a police officer in Minneapolis have already changed Americans’ political attitudes on issues of racism and police violence. Will they also activate a new wave of voters? https://t.co/V0ENNDSmcE pic.twitter.com/1KVleFUUaf
— Businessweek (@BW) September 1, 2020
Our generation has also been in the news recently for combatting racism and police brutality by attending numerous protests after the untimely deaths of victims including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others. The endless shootings and prejudice-driven attacks on communities of color have made our generation speak up and stand up. These events have also sparked a flame in us which will be ignited with the next presidential election. Some research has been done to predict the impact that our generation will have on the election.
On the Cusp of Adulthood and Facing an Uncertain Future: What We Know About Gen Z So Far: Born after 1996, the oldest Gen Zers will turn 23 this year. They are racially and ethnically diverse, progressive and pro-government https://t.co/unY0t5HiOP pic.twitter.com/jbZLCPEKai
— Pew Research Fact Tank (@FactTank) May 16, 2020
According to Bloomberg News, “this movement awakened a new generation of revolutionaries.” Trump’s response to the coronavirus and his xenophobic rhetoric regarding women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community has enraged many younger voters. Thus, we and other studies predict that in the upcoming election, more young people will be voting than ever before. We encourage you to vote this November because your vote counts.
